PRICEY

05.15.12

Diamond Auctioned for $9.7M

Remy de la Mauviniere / AP Photo

Worn by the queen of France at her inauguration in 1610, the Beau Sancy, one of the most famous diamonds in the world, was auctioned for $9.7 million Tuesday in Geneva. “It’s extremely rare for a diamond of this importance to come on the market,” said David Bennett, Sotheby’s chairman for jewelry. “It’s never been out of royal hands, it’s of immaculate provenance, it’s in all the history books of famous stones.” Apart from being worn by Medici, the jewel also played a role in English politics, and was pawned by Mary Stuart to help Charles II as he tried to grab back the English crown. But the buyer Tuesday was anonymous, and the gem may now be in common hands for the first time in its history.